Range



1937- o. HOFFERBERT RANGE Filed July 19, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 (7777522 /Z,af

NOV. 2, Q. HOFFERBERT 2,097,977

RANGE Filed July 19, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 W 1W 2% w Z 7 7 1; J .n r 1 1 QN 1 M Wmwm. NM 13 WW mm hw .nn 1% m NW MN m wm w mm m m I m K mm Q Q A 8% n NW N M H QM m w m m \hwww q mNw v mom m\ H W\@ M Q J 6 a, W E QOX MQKEOQ m WNW W om 1 1 00 0 mm WM, Nw Wm Patented Nov. 2, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RANGE of Wisconsin Application July 19, 1934, Serial No. 736,093

GClaims.

My invention relates to improvements in ranges, both electric and gas.

One object of the invention is to provide a range in which the upper or surface burners may be enclosed in an insulated compartment, thus forming an upper oven and increasing the efliciency of the surface units.

Another object is to provide such compartment with a hinged door which, when swung downwardly, may be used as a work table and when closed will cause the range to resemble a piece of furniture, such as a desk, for example.

A further object is to provide a range having in addition to the upper oven, two lower ovens 1g spaced apart to provide improved ventilation.

An additional object is to provide an improved lighting arrangement for the ovens, the incandescent lamps being protected by heat resisting glass and turned on and oil automatically when the oven doors are opened and closed.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the more detailed description given of the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings. An electric range is'shown, al-

25 though, as stated, the novelty of the combination is not dependent on the type of fuel used.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the range with the doors open;

Fig. 2 is a bottom view of said range;

30 Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view 01' the removable 35 top shelf.

The range is provided with a rectangular frame it supported on suitable legs l'l forming the base. This base supports the side walls l2, the front wall l3 and the rear wall i4, made preferably 40 of sheet metal. Above the supporting i'rame Ill are two horizontal plates of metal l5, spaced apart, but in the same plane, and constituting the bottoms of the two oven structures l6, l1. Said two ovens have vertical inside walls l3, I9,

45 respectively, separated a small distance to provide ventilation between the ovens, and also have tops 23, 2| respectively with a ventilating space above the same, and rear walls 32 spaced from the rear wall l4 of the range.

50 Each oven is surrounded by a fairly thick layer 23 of heat insulating material between its inner and outer walls. The heating unit receptacles 24 are located near the top and bottom on the rear wall of each oven. Said ovens 53 are provided with a horizontal communicating passage 23 having a pair of vertical glass panels 28 therein, preferably pyrex, forming a compartment which receives an incandescent light 21 for lighting both ovens, particularly near the top thereof. The circuit of this incandescent 5 lamp is controlled by a suitable switch 28 mounted on a plate 23 spanning the opening between the ovens and secured to the bottom walls l5, I5 01 the ovens. Said switch is actuated by connections to the front doors 30, 3| so that when either or both of the doors are opened, the incandescent lamp is lighted.

The mechanical connections for actuating the switch include a helical spring 32 shown in Figs.

2 and 4, one end of which is connected to the switch handle and the other end of which is connected to a cross bar in the form of a. channel 33. Rods 34 pass the openings near the ends of said channel and are surrounded by helical springs 35, each compressed between said channel and a fixed stop in the form of an ang1e 36 secured to the bottom of the range. The forward end of each rod has a spring steel strip 31 secured to it which passes through an opening 33 in the bottom I5 01 the oven and which passes also through a triangular shaped chamber formed between the bottom plate i5 and an inclined sheet 01 metal 39 as shown in Fig. 4. The forward end of said spring steel strip is secured to the hinge 40 of the door whereby when said door is swung open against the action of the springs 32 and 35, the switch is actuated to close the circuit to the lamp 21. When the door is closed, the circuit is opened.

It will be noted in Fig. 2 that each of the spring steel strips 31 just referred to engages one of the two doors near its inner side. A similar spring steel strip, rod and coiled spring is also provided for the outer side of each of the two doors. Thus each door has a yielding connection on each side tending to hold it shut and counter balancing its weight. The cross bar arrangement 33 is such that the incandescent lamp 21 will be lighted whether either or both doors are opened and as the light is centrally positioned, as shown in Fig. 3, both ovens are lighted near the top thereof. The lamp is somewhat removed from the heat of the two ovens and is protected, as stated, by pyrex glass.

With the spaced arrangement of the two ovens, the air from beneath the range may circulate up wardly through the open rectangular frame Ill, through the passageway 4i between said ovens, through the ventilating chamber above said ovens, and outwardly through perforations 42 5s in the rear wall, the circulation being indicated by the arrows. In addition oven vents I. are provided in said rear wall at lower points.

The range is provided with an upper, front, wall section 45, which is .made preferably of sheet metal and which may be readily raised to give access to the space beneath it containing the switch box 46. For this purpose, it is preferably completely removable. Said upper section or shelf has 9. depending flange 41 acres the front and sides and at the rear is provided with an upwardly extending flange l8 and a downwardly extending flange 49. The flange I on behind a horizontal strip 5. extending across the structure to hold said section against forward movement, and the section may be put in place by holding it in inclined position, hooking its rear end to said strip, and then swinging it downward- 1y after the manner of a hinged cover.

One of the features of the oven is the upper cooking compartment 5! which may be closed by a door 52 hinged at the bottom to said cross strip 50 whereby said door may be swung downwardly to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 4 and form a work table, resting on the top section I.

The upper compartment has a number of surface heating units 53, of conventional desisn. arranged in a row at the rear, there being four in this instance, as shown in Fig. 1. There is also a spaced rear wall 54 with a vent 55 in it, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. This upper compartment or oven may be kept closed either when it is in use or not in use. A closed upper oven has many advantages hereinafter referred to. It is provided further with double walls filled with suitable heat insulating material such as air-cell with an additional air space, this insulation being provided for the sides, back, top and front door and greatly increasing the eillciency of the surface cooking. The vent 5i referred to is connected to a flue or to an exhaust fan to remove the cooking odors from said upper nt. While this is of course desirable from a general standpoint, it is particularly desirable when the range is installed in an air conditioned home or kitchen, in that excess heat, as well as fumes from the cooking operations, are carried 0!! instead of being dissipated in the kitchen and oflsetting the benefits sought to be attained through the use of the air conditioning equipment.

An incandescent light ii is mounted near the top of the rear wall, with an indirect reflector I! to illuminate the compartment, the utensils and the work table, when the cover is swung downwardly. This movement of the cover actuates the switch 58 by a rod or tension member I, somewhat similar to that previously described. The rear wall of the cooking compartment contains a recess 60 in which salt and pepper containers and the like may be kept. The top horizontal wall 6! of the upper compartment cmstitutes a mantle and may support a clock 82. There is an opening 63 directly back of the clock through which the clock cord may pass instead of passing it over the top.

The switches 64 are mounted on a panel 5, which panel is removable by removing the switch buttons, to give access to the switch box I immediately to the rear and within the compartment or air space 61. The first switch from left to right, in this particular 17. operates the left heating unit in the upper compartment. The second switch operates the second unit from the left; the third switch operates the left hand of the two lower ovens and is a three way or three heat switch, high, medium and low. This left oven may be assumed to be a combination baking oven and plate warmer. The low position provides suiiicient heat for plate warming. The high position preheats to a desired temperature which can be maintained by turning the switch to medium for roasting or baking. This oven is equipped with an oven heat indicator II on the left side of the range.

The center switch on the switch panel 65 is a selector switch permitting the use of a timer for three cooking operations which are not described in detail as the circuit connections form no part of the present invention. This switch panel con tains a translucent, illuminated dial 69 which is illuminated from the rear by a red or a white light. These pilot bulbs can be replaced by removing the switch panel. These bulbs are part of a temperature control device of the bellows type. While the desired oven is preheating and has not reached the temperature at which the control dial is set, said dial is lighted in red. As soon as the temperature is up to the desired degree, the color changes to white. For example, assume that the oven temperature is the same as room temperature and that the control is set at 250. When the oven switch is turned on, the oven burner will begin to heat and the control will be illuminated with a red light. When the oven temperature comes up to 250, the control will turn oil the oven burner and the light will change from red to white. Subsequently, when the oven switch is turned off, all illumination will be cut oil.

Referring again to the switch panel, the fifth switch operates the lower right hand oven; the sixth switch operates the third unit in the upper series of four heating units and the seventh switch operates the right hand unit or cooker.

The panel Ill between the two lower ovens is also removable by removing the screws H. The pilot light for the range is visible through the transparent insert 12 in this panel. Thus all the electrical connections, switches, etc... are easily accessible, as the ledge or top shelf 45 is also removable, as previously stated. Furthermore, the maximum distance between the surface units and the switches is provided, the former being near the rear of the range in a row and the latter in a separate compartment in the front of the range away from the heat. Lubrication of the switches under these conditions will thus be eflective for much longer intervals. Grease or other lubricant is used both in gas cocks and electric switches and although said lubricant is intended to withstand fairly high temperatures, the lower the temperature at which said switches or gas cocks operate, the longer they may be used without service troubles or other expense. Therefore. the location of the electric switches or gas cocks at the front of the range where they will be ailected only slightly by the heat from the units at the extreme rear, is an important feature. In addition, moderate operating temperatures for the switches are assured by their location in a switch box, the ventilating flue between the ovens, and other ventilating features.

Another important advantage in locating the hen units at the rear is that in cooking it is n t necessary to reach over a hot vessel on a fron burner, as in the conventional type of cockingtop,toreachapanonarearburnerasall of the heating units are equally accessible at the extreme rear and it is not necessary to reach over any one unit to place or remove a cooking utensil on another unit. In the conventional cookingtopthei'ourburnersarerarelyused simultaneously. Instead, either the front burners or the rear burners are used, or one front burner in one section and one rear burner in another section are used. Rarely is the front burner and the rear burner Just behind it used simultaneously. In practical operation, therefore. the capacity oi the conventional four burner cooking top is considerably limited, whereas in the arrangement of heating units disclosed herein, whether electric or gas, the cooking capacity in practice is almost doubled.

Numerous advantages arise from the construction of the range as described herein. Since by far the greater portion of the cooking is done on the surface units, the provision of a well inmlated compartment on the top of the range results in great efliciency and economy. Foods may be baked in this compartment with heat which would otherwise be dissipated in the room during the cooking operations performed on other units and a combination dinner of a certain type may be cooked in this compartment in onethird less time than where the same was Drepared on an open type range, the reduction being from one and a half hours to one hour. Also, the electric units can be operated on low heat under such conditions, at a saving of current. After foods have been prepared the cooking compartment door may be kept closed and thus they may be kept warm for a long period of time at no increased cost of fuel.

A further advantage of having the heating units at the extreme rear of the cooking top is that plenty of space is provided in front of said units to serve as a work table or as a support or ledge for a hinged member serving as a larger work table than that afl'orded by the removable upper front wall section. The door of the compartment over the heating units at the rear, forms such work table directly in front of the units when the door is open, said table resting upon the ledge 01 the range and not depending upon the door guides for its entire support, making it a very substantial table. Also, this door when closed is in inclined position, thus cooperating with the other features of the design in presenting the appearance of a piece of furniture rather than a cooking device.

I claim:

l. A range having vertical enclosing walls and a top, heating units on said top, an enclosure for saidunits anoven. with thei'ront side closed by a door hinged at thebottom, whereby saiddoormaybeswungtohorisontal position on said top to form a work table and a compartment below said heating units.

2. A range having verticatenclosing walls and a top, heating units on said top, an enclosure for said units comprising vertical side and rear double walls containing heat insulating material and a double wall front door hinged to the bottom of said enclosure and normally in inclinedposition when closed but in horizontal position when swung open to form a work table in front of said units.

3. A range having vertical enclosing walls and a top with a removable section, a chamber beneath said top, rendered accessible by the removal of said section, heating units on said top, and an enclosure for said units having a hinged door which may be swung to horizontal position on said removable section.

4. A range having a top and front, rear and side walls, a compartment below said top, a plurality of heating units arranged in a row at the a rear of said top, whereby the front part 01' said top is available as a table, control members for said heating units located on said front wall, remote frmn the heat oi said units, and a compartment above and at the rear of said top, enclosing said units, and having a vent therein.

5. A range having .a top and front, rear and side walls, a chamber below said top, a plurality of heating units arranged in a row at the rear of said top whereby the front part of said top is available as a table, and a compartment above said heating units at the rear of said top, said compartment having a hinged front wall whereby it may be opened and closed, and a vent in another wall thereof.

6. A range having a top, front, and rear and side walls, said top including a fixed rear section having heating units in a row thereon, and a movable front section, a horizontal wall spaced below said top and forming, with said front, side and rear walls, a substantially unobstructed enclosure, one of the vertical walls oi said enclosure being perforated to form of said enclosure a ventilating chamber beneath said top, and manually operated control members for said heating units, extending through said front wall and into said chamber, said movable front section giving access to said chamber.

ORRIN HOH'ERBERT.

GERTIFIGATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 2,097,977. r T November 2, 1937.

- 0mm: no

It is hereby certified that error apbeare in the printed specification or the above numbered patent requiring correction follows: Page 5 second column; lines hand 5, claiml, for the word; "and a compartment below said" read infront of said even; 11nd ho, claim 6, before "rear" insert the word vertical; and that the aaid Lettere Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the enemy conform to the record. of the caee in the Patent Office.

Signed and eealed this 25th day of January, A. D. 1938.

Henry Van Aredale (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

